Just a Game
by Saltey
Summary: After the rebellion failed the Games continued and continued and soon even the capitol got tired, their favourites lost, tributes became weaker and less interesting and they had no control over the outcome of the games. So a new idea emerged, make the games interactive, let the capitol play as the tributes. It's a whole new game. *OPEN*
1. The Champion

After the rebellion failed the Games continued and continued and soon even the capitol got tired, their favourites lost, tributes became weaker and less interesting and they had no control over the outcome of the games. So a new idea emerged, make the games interactive, let the capitol play as the tributes. It's a whole new game. *OPEN*

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_A/N: The idea for these games game from the movie Gamer, I really like the concept of people controlling people in games and thought it would work perfectly in the Hunger Games universe. So enjoy the prologue and instructions on how to get involved are at the bottom._

* * *

DAY SIXTEEN OF THE 1098th GAMES:

"What now boss" the boy mutters as he perches behind a large pile of rubble peering out into the urban arena before him, it had been slowly collapsing over the last week and a half of the games causing many a good player to lose. Not me however I'm not just good I'm great, the best even.

"Boss?" Kano asks again the district five boy sure was being impatient with me. He was an impulsive type, kept trying to get me to send him to his certain death by rushing into situations. Without me he wouldn't have had a chance to win these games. With me however, the boy was in for a sure victory.

A few clicks on my key pad and I'd sent Kano out of his shelter and back into the rainy arena, we are one of only two players left and I don't intend on breaking my winning streak. This will be my fourth consecutive victory; the most Hunger Games any gamer has ever won. I'm somewhat of a legend of Panem at least that's what the magazines call me, me I just like to game and there's only one game worth besting. The Hunger Games.

"We're going to kill Roxanna's little girl and get you home Kano" I tell him by way of explanation as I move him through the arena, I know Rox's game play style we've practiced enough times late into the night, with artificial tributes, these are the real things though and Rox just doesn't have the people skills I do. I duck Kano around a collapsing wall, and with a few more clicks send him into a run. "She'll be somewhere close to the high ground" I say as Kano runs "Not obviously of course but somewhere hidden and small. Wherever she can fit that small girl of hers."

"Does she usually go for smaller tributes then?" Kano asks

"Yeah I suppose she does in practice sessions, she didn't get to pick the girl though you know that"

"Of course" he replies stiffly. Does Kano worry that I didn't pick him, that I along with most of the gamers was hoping for the muscular tribute from two. That boy was a beast though and Livia couldn't control him properly, she was out of the games early on when she failed to move him out of the way of a collapsing building, a rookie mistake.

"You're doing a great job" I tell Kano eventually, wanting to psyche him up for the final fight, a happy tribute is more loose and easier to control, too many gamers just insult there pieces and that's why they lose. Kano must be in a bit of a grump or something as he doesn't reply, he just does as he's told and continues to run through the landscape, his muscles never tiring his body not once fighting against my controls, he is in many respects a perfect tribute.

"Right we're here" I tell him as I pull him slowly to a stop, "All you have to do now is wait she'll come to you"

"You sure boss" he says "shouldn't we go to her" he's twitching to fight I can tell, but his time will come.

"Course I am, it's Roxanna she's so impatient its funny"

As I'd expected Roxana's tribute emerges quickly she's about fourteen years old with pale skin that's flushed pink from the exercise of the last few weeks.

"Say hello to Roxanna" I tell Kano

"Hi Roxanna, we're here to win the games" Kano says to the girl, she's rigidly still but her eyes glow with fear.

"Roxanna says you're stupid Max" she stutters, her face is covered in blood and she holds a long thin sword in her hand.

"Tell Roxanna I can't wait to gloat at the party tonight" I laugh into the head set.

"Max says we'll see you at the party tonight to celebrate our victory" Kano grins, I decide I really do like this lad, can't wait to have a drink with him, but first the girl.

Rox makes the first move like I expected her to, the girl lunges towards Kano with Rox's signature slash and stab moves; I can picture her mashing buttons back home that look of utter concentration on her face. But I know how to respond, a simple sidestep from Kano and the girl continues to fly through the air landing on her face.

I click and type as fast as I can on my pad and Kano follows the orders precisely, he swings the sweet large sword we'd scored from the sponsors above his head and brings it crashing down on the girls head splitting it in two. A canon echoes around the arena and through my head set, I can hear the cheers of my friends and family waiting outside my gaming room. I can just picture the look of anger on Rox's face as she realises I've beaten her yet again.

"I'll see you on the other side bro" I say to Kano before disconnecting from him. I'd say I had about five hours as they flew him home, cleaned him up and disconnected him from the game circuit. Then I could finally meet him again and we could get that drink. Until then I really needed a shower.

* * *

_So for this SYOT I'll need something a bit different. I don't want the tributes I want the gamers. A boy or a girl aged 14 – 20. In total as I think I probably won't get many submissions I'm going to just have a total of 10 gamers. Just PM me the form on my profile and I'll let you know in the next day or two if you have a part (Don't post it as a review or you won't get a place!). For a timescale, it will depend on how long it takes for me to get ten gamers, but I will probably have the first chapters up in the next week or two. Have fun making some wild capitol teens!_


	2. The Rival

Roxanna Stripes's POV:

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My hate for Maximus Impala is what fuels me through my late night gaming sessions. While he's out partying with his legion of fans I'm sat here in my gaming chair, winning games after games with all types of tributes. I've set my game console to the hardest possible settings and yet I just keep winning against all the randomised tributes it throws at me.

_Victor! _The computer announces as I defeat a great beast of an opponent with the smallest and weakest tribute I'd been given in a while. As the game loads the next arena I look at the time, it's seven am and I haven't slept a wink, opps. I grab my energy drink from beside me and glug the rest of it down before throwing a couple of sugar pills down my throat to kick me into action. Today is a big day after all.

"Roxanna Lilith Stripe, you need to get off that console this instant. You know what today is." I hear my mother's shouts coming up the stairs, she was lucky I'd just won a game or I'd completely ignore her. Whacking the save and pause button I focus on my bedroom as best I can.

"Lights" I groan as the room lights up around me, ouch my eyes. I rub them and yawn,

"Roxanna" Mother repeats.

"Coming" I scream, before pulling a loose jumper on over my dirty tank top and stepping out into the landing. The door of the room opposite mine is open and I can hear my little sister Helena in the shower next door, this is actually a lie in for her. Schools cancelled after all as its results day and we'll all be watching the show, her in one of the prime seats of the studio thanks to me.

As I get to the top of the stairs there's a gasp of horror from my mother who is stood beside her beautician friend Pollita at the bottom of them.

"Did you get any sleep last night" she scolds, as I wander down the stairs. I reply with a yawn and she sighs "but you need to look your best for today."

"No mom I needed to make sure some punk kid didn't take my spot overnight." I tell her "Morning Pollita" I add for politeness sake.

"Oh Roxanna you're mom is right" she sighs "You need to take more pride in your appearance my dear." I roll my eyes at her as I take in her painted face and extravagant dress. I bet the guys don't have to deal with this kind of shit on a daily basis.

"Look we have hours to sort me out up to your standard's don't we" I tell her "let me just grab some food first."

"Not so fast" Pollita laughs as she points upstairs "first we get you clean then you can eat." She's lucky that I do actually like her a bit or she'd get a fist to the face, so I reluctantly let her push me upstairs and towards the bathroom where Helena stands at the sink dying purple streaks into her straightened hair.

"I'm going to look at your dresses for today with your mother so be quick" I'm told as Pollita vanishes.

"You look like crap" Helena says as she looks towards me as if I were a dirty smell. I respond with my middle finger as I strip off and clamber into the shower as she remains glued to the sink.

"You meeting up with the guys before the show?" I ask her as I wash three days of crap from my untameable frizzy hair.

"Yea probably" she says "Rennete wants to show us that new pancake place, shame you'll miss out"

"Meh" I reply "I can go another day, anyway I'm gonna need to keep practicing if I want to stay on the score board till tonight."

"Sis you're in the top five, you'll be in the games no worry." She says and I smile.

"Thank's sis" I respond, but that doesn't remove my resolve to get a few more games in before tonight.

"Anyway Mom and Pollita won't let you anywhere near that gaming chair while their working on you" she laughs, as she finishes up her hair. I growl in annoyance and splash her with some of my shower water causing her to squeal as she runs out of the bathroom.

"Roxanna, hurry up" my mother screams and with a slump of my shoulders I kill the water and wrap myself in a towel before slinking back into my room. The moment I step through the door to my bedroom two pairs of arms shove me into the unused chair in front of the vanity desk I was bought for my last birthday by my misguided grandparents. I say unused, it does make a good makeshift wardrobe but it seems Pollita and Mom have swept the clothes from it and we're going to be using it for its original purpose.

"Roxanna dear, you really ought to keep on top of your hair" Pollita tells me as she forces a brush through my curls.

"Not everyone is born with perfectly tameable hair" I groan as I fight against her brush, Pollita doesn't reply and begins to talk to Mother about the dress they're stuffing me into later.

My stomach growls and I groan in annoyance.

"Food" I demand "You said I could eat after my shower, not after this five hour beauty program you have planned for me."

"I'll get you something from downstairs if you promise to behave for Pollita" Mom scolds me.

"Fine" I sigh "As long as it's sugary, I'm starting to crash again here"

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_A/N: Hi all, thanks for being interested enough in my little idea to read this far, there's still plenty of time for you to PM me your own capitol teen to play in the games. I still need Eight more Gamer's to make up my total of Ten submissions and they together with my OC's Roxanna and Max will play in the games. Form in on my profile. _


	3. The Outcast

Cleo Jackson's POV:

I can barely sleep the night before the results show, of course the constant mewing of Gran's cats never helps but it's just exasperating my current insomnia. At about five am I sweep Mrs Tiddles from my bed and she lands on the floor with an angry hiss.

"Bugger off" I growl as I swing my feet out of my bed and give her a kick, the shabby grey cat scarpers but as I make my way for my little bathroom she is replaced by Snoozen. Named for his sleepy nature as a kitten according to Gran, Snoozen, a tabby now seems to be making up for lost time by being as hyperactive as shit.

"Stupid cats" I sigh as I kick Snoozen out of the way and fight past Hunter and Moose to finally get to my bathroom.

A quick shower later and I fight past a different group of cats to get to the wardrobe, as I open my wardrobe I see that Ninny has finally given birth to her litter of kittens, right on the sweater I was going to wear today. Ugh, I'm not in the mood for this today, I have far too much gaming to do before tonight. I'm currently number 26 in the rankings and of course only the top 24 will get onto the show. I'm getting my place this year.

Grabbing a pair of black leggings and a different long jumper I throw on my clothes and finally leave my cat infested room.

The rest of the house is just as bad and I have to fight an over active kitten whose name I can't remember for an apple for my breakfast. Taking a bite I begin to head towards the door before deciding I should probably leave a note for Gran. I don't want her noticing three hours after she wakes up that I'm not here. I mean she probably wouldn't care but I'd rather not come home tonight to find that she's forgotten about me and thrown out my stuff in a moment of confusion.

I grab an old envelope and quickly scribble on it, reminding her of the results show and begging her to at least record it is she's not going to bother showing up. I tell her where to find Ninny's kittens and tell her I won't be back till late.

Leaving her shabby little apartment I'm confident that the only piece of information she'll retain from my note is about the damn cats.

I'm sure she wasn't always this bad; I do have vague childhood memories of a clean lady in a small apartment, someone we'd visit during the holidays and someone who actually cared. Maybe she had one cat back then, maybe not I don't remember. I guess her life ended when mine did too, on the day my parents died. She'd just lost it, started picking up these stray cats and closing herself in. It took social service four years to convince her to take me in. Yeah great role model I have there. At least I have my games to keep me sane, the thrill of a victory and the drive I gain with every loss to improve, that's what's gotten me through the last few years.

The capitol streets are empty as I make my way out of the crowded apartment's blocks of the Silk sector and head to my favourite place in the world. It's normally quite a long walk, as I have to fight through waves of people heading to the shops or to work. But the clear streets and my inbuilt memory of every little shortcut in this city means I make it there in record time.

"Morning Cleo" Sandy smiles as I slip through the back door of the HGarcade on Lilac Street "You're here earlier than usual. I thought you'd be at home getting ready for the big show anyway." I like Sandy, she looked out for me when I was being moved around foster parents and always said she'd have took me in if she'd had the space. She's given me a job though and introduced me to the games systems of her little HGA franchise. I'd never say it out loud but she was the closest thing to a mother I think I'd ever have again.

"I'd rather have a place than a pretty dress" I mutter "am I good to jump on?" I ask, hoping she didn't have any bookings for today, I'd hate to have to go find another franchise for the day, one that wouldn't give me free food and gaming in exchange for a few hours bar work a night.

"Sure thing hunni"

It takes me moments to sit in my usual game chair and log on. I'd had to pause a game last night when my shift behind the bar started but it's all ready to go this time. I quickly memorise this particular games and remember that I'm in the final five with a sixteen year old male tribute; he's the same age as me but taller and stronger. I'd picked District Twelve for these games and their men always have mining muscles, he was a good looking lad too and if I got one like him for real in the games I'd be in for a sure win.

That's if I get in the games of course, before I re-start my game I have a quick look at the leader board. Maximus is on top of course as he's been for about four years now but lower down I can see that it's a close fight for those last few places and I'd slipped to number thirty overnight.

"bugger" I mutter as I hit go, I'm going to have to win at least three games with weaker tributes before tonight, it's lucky Sandy was so good to me or I'd be broke before lunch.

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_A/N: So here you go the first of the submitted gamers – Cleo was sent in by SeraphinaMalfoy0188. Still 8 spots left, PM me the form on my profile and remember that you're sending me capitol teenagers not tributes from the districts. _


	4. The Newbie

Caligula Atia's POV:

"What did I tell you" Father screams as I hear leathery gloved hands hit flesh, "You were to never talk to that man again Octavia!"

I turn up my games to drown out my Stepmothers plea's for mercy, father could kill her now and it would be nothing to me or Amora. She is nothing to us and if she doesn't know how to respect father then she should die. Killing is easy, killing an enemy is as father always told me the kindest thing you could do to them, a good clean kill is better than any other punishment her could come up with. As he knows I and my sister know too well.

I focus my mind away from the past and the echoes of my mother's final screams for mercy and stab my virtual enemy in the neck five times. A good clean kill.

I hit pause as the game announces me into the final three and check my rankings again, twelfth, not bad but not up to Fathers standards, I have to be in the top ten tonight, I just have to.

I focus on the game, on these final few kills as I stalk them through the dark forest arena; I keep to the shadows and jump out into the path of a young tribute. The tribute ducks away from me and tries to run but I'm too fast for her. I take her down with a throw of a knife and stand over her body, pulling out a hunting knife I begin to slice into her face. The hands may belong to my virtual tribute, some boy from district five or six or something but the thoughts and actions are all mine. That's one of the things I love about the games, the control I would have over another live person.

I kill the girl bellow me quickly, though if I'd had time I would have been a bit more creative. The next tribute I find gives me a bit of a harder fight, but I best him eventually.

The other two tributes had also been fighting as I'd been killing and now only one was standing. He was one of the older types, no muscles really but he's made it this far running on the high difficulty AI settings so there must be something. I decide he's probably a fast tribute so track him for a while before using my sneak attack to beat him unaware. I smile as the game announces me Victor but quickly hide it, this isn't the time for emotion, my rankings have moved up and I'm now 11th place.

"Caligula, Cal, you're not bloody listening you twit!" my sister yanks the headphones from my ears and throws them on my lap "I said Octavia is driving me into town to buy some new shoes for tonight do you want anything?"

"No" I respond "Didn't dad just beat her" I add in a whisper

"Yeah but that was at least an hour ago, you've been fixed to that screen haven't you?"

"I guess I kind of loose the time when I'm in game."

"You all set for tonight?" she asks.

"Yeah, I mean I'm certainly in but ..." I pause unsure.

"Go on..." she goads.

"Look I'm just not sure it'll be good enough for dad okay. I need to be perfect for him."

"Oh little brother, you mustn't appear weak, surely father has taught you that" she says

"Don't you dare tell him" I gasp "I'm not being weak"

"Yea" she chuckles "Don't worry kid, I'll keep my mouth shut"

She disappears with another chuckle in a flurry of fabric and perfume and I return to my game, the rankings show me barely in eleventh place so I need to focus to make myself top ten before tonight.

I'm just getting settled into another game when my in game com beeps. This barely ever happens this close to the results ceremony and I'm about to ignore it as some kid trying to distract me from my game when I notice the user name.

"Impala" I say "Didn't think you'd com a kid like me this close to the big show."

"Just checking my rankings and you seem to have appeared out of no-where kid, what's your story?" the cool calm voice of the biggest gamer in Panem comes through my head set. He's going to try an intimidate me I think, try and scare the new kid before the games come.

"I've been around" I reply coldly "Only just come of age for the main event, but that doesn't mean I'm not well practiced."

"I don't doubt it" he croons and I hear a slight giggling in the distance, he isn't alone if he, he must be with one of his many women. An Idea formulates quickly.

I'll show my sister that I can be as cruel as her or father and I'll do it by humiliating the biggest name in gaming that there is.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" I ask, impersonating my Father as best I can.

Maximus laughs, "Some punk kid who's barely in eleventh place that's all you are CalA" he pronounces my username as 'Cala'.

"It's Caligula to you Impala" I growl "Caligua Atia"

It's almost as if I can hear the cogs turning in his brain, as he figures out where he knows that name from.

"Ah" he sighs "Marcus Atia's son, I heard he'd sent you off to a reform camp in District Two." The female laughter becomes stronger now.

"No I've been training with the best to beat your ass in the games" I shout back "My father has been preparing me for this for years now"

He continues to laugh "Oh kid you can't scare me with Daddy, I'm too important to be scared. People like your father work for me."

I hang up quickly as the laughter on the other end becomes louder and try to focus back on my game. But my mind is a mess and one wrong move later it's game over for me. My ranking remains stuck on eleventh and it doesn't seem to move, not matter how well I play my next game. It seems Maxwell Impala got his way as usual and I'm not going to break into the top ten by tonight. In a few weeks time though when I'm stood on that stage collecting my Victors crown, that's when I'll show him he was wrong to underestimate the son of Marcus Atia.

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_A/N: Thanks to Zep182 for Caligua, I hope you all liked him. If you've just found this story or not sent me a character yet then there's still plenty of places left open. Just send me a PM with the info in the form on my profile and I'll get back to you with a reply asap._

_Oh and if I don't get another chapter up the next day or two then Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to my readers :) _


	5. The Veteran

Bianihz Sinclair's POV:

"GO AWAY" I scream as the buzzer on my apartment door rings for the fifth time "I told you I'm sick"

"Bianihz, no illness lasts two months and if you are that ill we should take you to a doctor" Pan's voice calls through the door, he sounds worried but manages to almost hide it, probably a skill picked up in his work.

"No Pan, I'm fine just leave me alone" I screech, "Please!"

"That's not happening my love and I'm sorry that you drove me to this" I hear the gangling of keys.

"What no" I cry, jumping to my feet and leaping at the door "How did you get..."

"You're parents Bian" he sighs using his pet name for me, "Don't worry I didn't tell them the truth."

"Pan please don't do this, just leave me in peace for a while."

"I can't do that Bian, I love you"

His declaration of love throws me for a moment in which I reluctantly stand back as he opens the door. I feel a blast of fresh air follow him into my apartment. This causes me to suddenly become very aware of the state it's gotten in during the last few months; dirty washing spills from my room, piles of takeaway containers cover most surfaces and there is a distinct smell of neglect that the fresh air reveals.

"Oh Bianihz" Pan gasps, not looking at the mess that surrounds me but instead focussing on me, or to be specific my large swollen pregnant belly "I had no idea" he sighs.

"Oh Pan" I sigh "I'm so so sorry, It just happened and I was going to get rid but I just couldn't do it and oh my parents will be so ashamed. I should be married before I do this." I clutch my stomach as I speak.

"Why would they possibly be ashamed. Don't they know it's almost the Ten Twenties." He pulls me into a hug and nestles his chin into my neck.

"They don't care, I was never their perfect daughter and now ... now I'm ruined" I begin to sob as I hold onto him tightly, yet at the same time a wave of relief comes over me. Pan knows the truth now and by the sparkle in his deep gray eyes and the grin on his lips he doesn't care.

"You are not ruined, you are a beautiful young woman and you will be the most spectacular mother and I ... I'll be there for you." He lets go of me before leaning over, I stretch my neck upwards and push myself up on to my tiptoes and our mouths meet. It's one of those wonderfully messy kisses, born of months of separation as I've been hiding in my hole of an apartment and as we move apart to breathe Pan has the biggest grin on his face.

"I'm going to be a daddy" he says with his wide grin.

The doorbell buzzer interrupts us "Bianihz, I came as fast as I could. Has he gone yet? What did you say? He didn't see the bump did he?" my best friends voice comes through the door in flurry of words and several deep breaths telling me that she must have run all the way here from her place when I'd messaged her moments after Pan first rang my bell.

"You told Booster?" Pan says, slightly disappointed "You told your best friend before the baby's father" he pauses, and then chuckles "Of course you did, stupid question."

"Bianihz, was that Pan?" Booster cries.

"Hi Booster" Pan shouts and I can't help but laugh, all the pressure and stress I'd felt over the last few weeks had been lifted in a moment. Pan holds onto me as we move to let Booster in. Booster who'd seen the size of my stomach in the last few months since I'd stopped using flowing dresses to hide my baby and started to become a hermit doesn't get distracted from the state of my place by my belly as Pan had.

"Oh Bianihz, your place it's ..." she grimaces as her eyes flicker around the apartment, "Are you gaming again?" she asks as her eyes land on my gaming chair, my headset rests loosely on it as a paused game sits on my screen.

I nod, my cheeks blushing with shame, but Pan just looks confused "Again?" he asks "I never knew you gamed."

"I was young" I say be way of explanation "It was a kind of faze"

Booster laughs as she throws a pizza box off my couch and lazes on it "Bianihz came fifth"

"Booster!" I cry, "What is it national tell all Bianihz's secrets day?!"

Pan just laughs as he lets me sit next to Booster and sits himself in the chair beside the couch. He flicks one leg over the other and looks at me in an intensively seductive fashion. "That's no mere faze Bian" he tells me "fifth is bloody impressive. Tell me everything."

I look to Booster for backup but she just smirks back, sometimes best friends can be the worst.

"It's all a blur really" I admit.

Pan chuckles "Party too much did we?"

"Well .." I take a deep breath "I kind of literally can't remember some of it." I begin to bite on my nails but Booster slaps my hand away.

"If you're having his baby he needs to know" Booster whispers to me, a slight hiss to her voice. I know she's not being unkind but she does have this tendency to get me into trouble and I can't help but continue.

"I used to love the games okay, played since I was young, got into my first games at sixteen. It was wonderful, I started in sixteenth place. By the time I lost my tribute I was in the final five and it was brilliant. Afterwards there was just months and months of parties, I drank too much and I suppose so did everyone else, though I can't really remember it. About a month before the next games, we were having one big final party, at Invictus de Mountford's house I think. I'd drunk a load and I thought I was going home with a sober friend, heck I'd probably thought I was getting into a Taxi. But I wasn't and the driver, some gamer groupie kid by the name of Lance was driving and there was an accident..."

Pan gasps and looks as if he is about to comment but I continue talking "The car crashed and Lance died, the other kids in the car were mostly alright but I hit my head on something and large parts of that year just vanished. Everything between seeing my tribute loose the games and being in the hospital was just gone at first. Stuff came back, slowly at first, snippets of days out with Booster and family meals but my love of the games went too. Until ... Well until this little thing appeared" I rub my belly and smile "Something about being pregnant has made me want to game again, it's so odd really."

"So is this gaming helping your memory?" Booster asks, she doesn't sound as happy as she should about this, but keeps a grin on her face none the less.

"Yeah" I admit "The other day I had this memory of talking to you outside my parents house. I don't know when it was but it must have been during that year as you had that hideous green tattoo up your cheek." I don't mention, the anger on Boosters face in the memory or the fact that it appeared that I had just slapped her; some things need to remain a secret until I can figure them out fully.

Booster laughs nervously and I know she must remember that day. It hurts a little to think that she's also keeping secrets from me, we used to be almost like sisters as kids and now I have this one bad memory and it's scaring me that there could be more like it.

Pan hasn't spoken in a while but is instead looking at my pause screen where a little red number is flashing "You must be a natural babe" he says quietly "You're number twenty one and that means you're in the games again."

"Oh" I say "I honestly hadn't noticed."

"Bianihz, the results show, it's tonight. You have to go or you'll forfeit you're place." Pan says.

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea, I mean I'm nineteen. It's a kids game. I'm going to be a mother soon after all"

"Maximus is only a year younger than you and Invictus is twenty now." Pan tells me "The games could help you get your memory back, wouldn't you like that before the baby comes. To be able to know your whole life, even that gamer faze you had at sixteen."

"What do you think?" I ask Booster whose staying uncharacteristically silent "Should I do it?"

Booster seems unsure but I catch Pan nodding wildly from the corner of my eye and I know she'll agree with him, she has to or she'll be letting us all know that there's something wrong with me remembering.

"We'll need to find something to wear" she says eventually "after all you're famous again Bianihz."

_A/N: Thanks to BecauseofKillianJones for Bianihz, I hope you liked her and the slight changes I made to your bio for her. Usual message here, still places left – Send me a PM of the form on my profile and you'll get a place. Also I hope you all Have a Happy New Year and Don't Drink and Drive Kids._


	6. The Upstart

Constantinos Brakus' POV:

* * *

Roxanna Stripes's face is staring down at me as I wake up, as she does every morning. "Good morning my muse" I smile to her grinning face, of course she doesn't reply. I'd never been able to afford the virtual reality posters, the ones with the voice recognition technology, that reply to your conversation. Anyway, I don't think Verena would approve of them.

Roxanna isn't the only face on my wall, beside her sits Maximus and beside him Invictus, I have posters of most of the kids that have hit the top five, except for the few that never really got the whole merchandising thing. My girlfriend Verena says that once I make it to the top five, she'll get everything in place as quickly as possible for my merchandising, we'll make a fortune out of it. Not that I really need any more money, the money they pay me for playing the games year after year is a ridiculous amount in comparison to what I grew up with. But if it makes Verena happy, I'll indulge her.

As I brush my teeth I glance over the capitol and can see the crisp white apartment blocks of Silk in the distance. People always say the Silk sector is alright really, I mean it's not like living out in the poverty of the districts. Those people of course are idiots, in this style obsessed capitol image is everything and living in the apartments of Silk give out the distinct image of not belonging. Luckily I've escaped that place and the memories it holds within, the games gave me a chance and I took it. My past is such a small part of my life I literally don't remember my parents, or maybe I've distanced myself to protect myself from them, I don't really remember. I have my friends and my Verena and that's all I need.

Verena rings my bell pretty soon after I've woken up and prepared myself for today's excursion. She gives me a quick kiss and we head out to the waiting taxi. The taxi only skims the edges of Silk as it rushes me from my most recent apartment in the Ruby sector and towards the largest mall in Panem, which is a sector unto itself. But as hard as I try not to look back I can't help but look out into one of the large playgrounds below the apartments where see a small piece of myself in the rowdy kids playing and a larger piece in the small boy they're pushing to the floor.

"You've slipped to twelfth" Verena sighs from beside me in, distracting me from my dark thoughts of a almost forgotten past life. "Some kid names Atia has been climbing the rankings all morning."

"How sad" I sigh "some people can never be happy with what they have" I watch as my old life disappears into the distance, onwards and upwards as someone once said once, probably not Verena she's not much for sentiment.

Verena pokes my arm "Are you happy Const? You seem down lately" she asks, "Don't want to be off your game for the big show do you?"

"It's my last games Verena of course I'm sad, I have nothing to plan towards nothing to strive to."

"What about that Gamemakers role? I thought you were a shoe in."

"They went for some nephew of Claudius, some kid who's never played a game in his life. Apparently skill counts for nothing in this game."

"I'm sure something will come along" she tells me "You're a pro gamer; you're not going to starve. Maybe you could freelance train for a bit, pass on your skills."

"No thanks, teaching some snobby kid to game so his parents can hope that he makes it to the big leagues sounds like my worst nightmare."

Verena laughs as our cab arrives at the mall and paying the man we jump out and head into the busy main atrium. Verena takes the lead and we make our way through the mall, some people look over to me and give me a little wave. I wave back enjoying the attention my small amount of fame brings. Reaching our favourite little boutique shop, Verena only has to catch the eye of the shop owner Lylac and she rushes the only other customer within it out of the door before closing us in.

"Const my favourite little gamer, what can I do for you both today" she smiles.

"Need to look our best for the show tonight" Verena smiles and Lylac jumps to in immediately pulling several of her dressed of the rack for Verena and some sharp looking suits for me.

"Oh this one would look perfect for tonight" she says passing me a deep green jacket with a navy trim. I slip it on and run my fingers over the soft velvet finish.

"I'll take it" I say "Do you have the matching pants?"

Three hours later and we leave Lylacs store with shopping in tow, outside the little shop a small crowd had formed and they all strain themselves to see who was important enough to warrant a store to themselves for that long. Seeing me some older women sight and turn away, probably hoping to see someone more their age group. The group of young girls sporting t-shirts of various gamer logos on the front and lists of tributes on the back look a lot more excited.

One girl sporting my face, catches my eye. She's a pretty little thing with wide eyes and plump lips that are ruined by last season's shade of orange. She also has a massive rack, shown off by her ripped gamer t-shirt.

"Oh my Panem" she gasp, her arms flustering wildly "You're Const Brakus" she begins to shriek.

I laugh "yeah I am" I reply with a raise of my eyebrows, "What's your name?"

She replies by screaming again and I feel Verena link her arm with mine. "Babe lets go" she says "we have a hair appointment to meet" I nod and allow myself to get pulled away.

"Sanjia!" the girl screams from behind me somewhere "Sanjia Hampton!"

"Cute kid" I chuckle as we enter an elevator to take us up a couple of floors "I do so like to meet my fans"

"She was after your money" Verena sighs "that's all those other girls want."

I nod in agreement as we leave the elevator and move quickly over to the hair salon. Verena sits me down and quickly tells the hair stylist what to do with me. "Navy, with some green highlights I think" she orders before kissing me on the cheek and disappearing out of the salon.

"Strong woman you have their" the stylist says as he begins to mix the dye.

"She's always been there for me" I reply "Saw a winner in me." I smile as I lay back and allow the now silent stylist to work on me. Yeah despite all the crap life's thrown and is continuing to throw at me, right now I'm in a pretty good spot and I can only see it getting better over the next few weeks.

* * *

_A/N: Const belongs to Rebirth Of A Demented Kitten I hope you like him (despite the few slight changes – I felt like he needed a bossy girlfriend, sorry), Still looking forward to receiving a few more gamers, before we get going. Form is on my profile, PM's only please!_


	7. The Shadow

Roman Ferling's POV:

Fifteenth place, the feeling is good, the feeling is secure. I like security and I like to know that things will go my way. I switch of my console and check the time, only three hours to go until the big show. The ratings will probably be frozen about now, let the people in the last few places know for sure if they're in the games before it begins.

Scanning through the list I see mostly the same names as last year but with a couple of new faces, one young kid made it to eleventh and twenty one, twenty three and twenty four are all first timers. They won't make it far; they like me will probably bloodbath it on their first try. But second tries, second tries are the ones where people usually make it, maybe even to the top five. Oh the thought of being up there with the greats is so thrilling to me. Fame, money, everything I've ever wanted.

Or maybe not, maybe as Helia my older sister says I need to calm down and focus on more normal things, like paying more attention to our parents and how we can improve our standing in our community. She's a little obsessed with the whole thing after we finally moved into the Gold sector when Dad got his promotion. But she doesn't seem to get that what she does with her socialising and partying, I can do by gaming.

It didn't take much to convince my parents to join me at the show, they're happy no matter what I do. Even though they don't really understand the games and how they work, they're there for me no matter what. But they won't be home for a few hours to get ready and until then I decide to take Helia's advice that she gave me a few weeks back and 'get the frick out of this dark room' after all I'll be firmly planted to my chair for the next week or so as I play.

I slip my glasses on so I can see further than my screen and pull on a thin leather jacket, it's not exactly as 'capitol' as any of Helia's stuff but I've always liked it. As I stand at my bedroom door I debate turning around, playing one last game for practice, but no I need to see the sun at least once this month. With a final push I leave my room and head through the corridor that separates it from the outside world. Has it always been so long?

"Are you going out dear?" I stop and deflate a little. My mom's head has appeared around the corner of her room, her hair is up in curlers and her make-up is half done.

"Thought you'd be at work Mom."

"Got the afternoon off love, wanted to get ready for tonight"

"Oh right, I was just going out, for some fresh air."

"Okay lovely, just be back in time for the show" she smiles as if this wasn't something I already knew.

"Of course" I respond before slipping out of the front door, standing in the stark white corridor of our new apartment block I'm slightly disorientated. I know that back in Silk should I have gone three doors to my right I'd have bumped into fellow gamer Krous and his family, then another door up from there was Mr Granger who I'd often go visit when my family was driving me nuts. These doors though, I don't know who or what lies behind them, they're all strangers to me are my neighbours and I don't like that.

Walking towards the elevator at the end of the corridor I think back to when Dad had first told me we we're moving. Of course Helia was thrilled, we may only have been moving up to Gold but to her it was like being given one of the penthouse apartments of Ruby. I was less keen.

"But will there even be any other kids" I'd protested "Everyone who lives in Gold always looks so serious."

"Since when have you wanted to see other kids Specs" Helia had chuckled as my parents had assured me that though there were slightly less larger families in Gold that there would of course be other children. I hadn't seen any yet, though I honestly hadn't looked.

I arrive at the ground floor and look out onto our new street; we only live a few blocks away from the Government sector now and as I sit on a bench in the small park at the base of my new home I start to watch the government workers coming to and from work. I like watching people it's how I do so consistently in the games, by staying observant and biding my time. I let my mind wander now, imagine I'm still playing and I've got a stiff hunting knife in my hand. Most of these wobbling business and government men pose zero challenge; I could tempt them towards me with the promise of food and then slice their flesh as they are distracted.

"Hey you're in my spot" The voice of an irritated young girl distracts me from the images of death in my mind.

"It's just a bench" I say without looking up "It's not like it's got your name on it."

"Well actually..." she laughs "It kind of does" I look up in confusion at the girl; she looks about my age with long gold hair that falls in perfect curls to her waist.

"Huh" I say as she points to the back of the bench it had one of those in memoriam tags screwed into its back 'In Memory of April Jewel de Lira, She loved this place. 975 – 1081.'

"I'm sorry about your death" I say smarmily "What's it like being a ghost?"

"Shut up" she says "That was my Great Grandma, but I'm named after her so it's my bench okay"

"Okay" I laugh standing up "Enjoy your bench, I've got somewhere to be anyway."

I stand up and head back to my door, so much for trying to brave the big wide open world. I think I'll stick to my games and my tributes for a while longer.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks to RealFiction for Roman, hope you liked him. I've created another OC who I'll introduce for the next chapter and then if there's still no more submissions I'll get going with the games._

_I thought I'd put a quick note here about the sectors that I keep half mentioning, I see the capitol split into classes, geographically and socially. So where you stand in society (through your work or social standing) links to where you live. Ruby is the top, where most of the pro gamers live as well as the best of the best in other professions, celebrities, top politicians etc. Opal is just bellow – It's mostly for artistic people, entertainers and stylists (though the best of those live in Ruby). Gold is bellow that – mostly Government officials live here. Silk is the lowest, populated by shop owners and those who do other low status jobs (though the Avoxes do the worst of them). There are other non-residential sectors too – The Capitol Mall is one, The Game centre is another, The entertainment district (with bars, restaurants and gambling houses etc) is the next and the Government takes up the final sector. _


	8. The Muscle

Invictus de Mountford's POV:

The limo driving me to the game centre pulls up a few feet away from the entrance and I look up at the grand building, somewhere in there the audience is taking its seats and the tributes names are being put into a large glass bowl ready for me to choose them. Its perfect timing as usual as the limo pulls up just as the car in front of it drives away after the first of the gamers had entered the centre. It was probably Impala, he's always first. As my car pulls to a stop an Avox in a smart suit opens the door and bows to me as I step out. All around me camera's flash and the crowd of fan girls screams and shouts my name.

"Oh my, it's Invictus" one girl screams as her much hotter friend flashes her boobs towards me.

"I love you" she shrieks, "I want to have your babies"

I laugh and pull out my signing pen from my pocket, "Shall I sign my name" I say to the topless young woman.

"Oh yes please" she sighs and I scribble my name on her soft breast, nice.

"I'm gonna get that tattooed" she screeches

"Promise me?" I say as I run my finger along my signature much to her pleasure "and it'll work as you're ticket to every single one of my parties."

She screams again and I move onto the next few fans, they're a bit more conservative unfortunately and I sign some head shots and pose for some pictures before moving inside the centre. Here I mingle in the foyer for a few minutes before meeting up with my Mom and saying a polite hello to my current step-father.

"Good luck tonight boy" he says with a little nod "May the odds be ever in your favour." It's an old saying but he's a kind of an old guy, so I let it slide. After saying goodbye to them and greeting Dad and his new wife I make sure my parents are seated as far away as possible from each other before finally feeling able to converse with me friends.

Making my way over to my ex-stepbrother Atticus I slap him firmly on the back, barely noticing his conversational partner Kingston Hatter.

"Atticus my main man" I cry, "Missed you at the gym yesterday."

"Had a babe with me didn't I?" he chortles as I barely notice Kingston give a quick polite bow and scuttle away.

"Oh who?" I inquire "Anyone I know?"

"Nah just some babe I picked up in a club. You excited for tonight?" He changes the subject quickly I notice, making me conclude that it was probably one of my exes that he was seeing. I decide to leave him at that and not embarrass him about it, but I'd send out a few feelers tonight and find out who it was soon enough.

"Course, pissed I didn't make top billing but you know, this could still be my year." I tell him, scowling at the thought of Impala "notice you didn't make the top twenty four though, again." I'm a little bit pissed off by this, always wanted to beat him in a public field.

"You know I'm not as keen as you bro, anyway I'm just in it for the parties" he laughs as an announcer calls for the top twenty four to make their way to back stage.

"Hope you get a good tribute" Atticus says "Not like that weak chick you got last year."

"See you on the other side" I say as head over to join twenty three other gamers, standing at the front of the line and still surrounded by a throng of admirers is Maximus Impala, the bane of my life.

I elbow some groupies out of the way to get to my place behind that insufferable prat as a flustered production assistant shoo's them all to the audience.

"Good to see you still know your place" he laughs "After all these years you're still behind me" a few people back I hear the chortling laughter of another player. He'd better watch his back if he didn't want to finish in last place and be a laughing stock of the whole damn country.

"I hope you get District Three" I respond as the red live light shines above the doorway between us and the stage. It's show time.

* * *

_A/N: One last short POV to introduce Invictus as I've a had a few other gamers mention him and was building a good image of him that I wanted to share. I'm going to close the submissions now and get on with the games, first things first though, the results show._


	9. A Game of Chance

24th place - Cleo Jackson's POV:

Standing at the back of this line is the most thrilling experience I've ever had. Those last few games I played at the arcade were pretty brutal but I still remember the look of pride on Sandy's face when I told her I'd hit number twenty four, moments before the cut off point. Hard luck to Jacobin Quinn of course, who was shoved to twenty five, but he's only young, he can always try next year.

I can't see the stage from back here; neither can I see the audience to know if Gran made it. I doubt it of course but the hope is still there. More importantly what I can see is that in the distance Maximus has just left the front of the line and with a little mock salute to those behind him has bounded onto the stage.

All twenty three of us remaining turn to face the large screen to our left where we watch as Maximus does a little jog onto stage as the crowds cheer he laughs with the audience and host for a while before the moment of truth comes. He hovers his hand over the bowl and takes a deep breath. Of course all of the tributes had been reaped that morning, but their identities are a closely guarded secret that only a select few know. So as Maximus dips his hand into the large glass ball and brings out a small slip of paper and winces, we feel his pain.

Looking up to the crowd Maximus regains control and with a small smile announces "District Three's Lanni Lane. Age Fifteen. Gender Female."

His face is replaced with a short clip from the reaping, a skinny little thing, with pale skin and a tear streaked face is almost dragged up to the stage by peacekeepers.

When the camera returns to Maximus, he's smiling again. "I've had worse he chuckles" though we all know that's not true, maybe his winning streak really is over.

Maximus leaves the stage and Invictus steps onto it, he again has a bit of a chat and a flirt with the crowd before drawing his own tribute. "District Five's Isiac Jones. Age Seventeen. Gender, Male." He looks quietly pleased with his tribute and as we cut to a shaking but slightly muscular boy walking on his own two feet to the stage I think he might be in with a chance of beating Maximus this year.

Of course I'll beat them all, I just really hope I get a tribute that willing to go the whole way with me.

* * *

1st Place - Maximus Impalia's POV:

District three female, I must admit I'm a little pissed off, Invictus strides of stage and begins to laugh in my face. That of course doesn't help.

"Well looks like its somebody else's year" he says poking me solidly in my chest,

"Screw off" I tell him "I can win the games with any tribute they throw at me and this year will be no exception." I'm already working on a plan of attack, I'll need to be sneakier, less physical than Kano last year. I'd not played a girl before though so that might work at a disadvantage to me.

"Yeah but District Three" he chortles "Come on!"

"District Five is no muscular beast either" I reply "You do realise it's not going to be you in that arena" I laugh poking one of his muscles.

"I could take you here and now" Invuctus threats,

"Is that a promise?" I ask with a flirtatious wink that infuriates him, he seems to almost glow red in his rage.

"Ahem" I hear one of those please don't ignore me coughs from behind us and notice Albus and Idum standing awkwardly behind us, the two sixteen year olds joined the top five only a few months ago and were often found joined at the hip in social situations.

"Good job boys" Invictus says, suddenly calm and composed after his almost outburst. "Who'd you get?" he adds, proving we weren't really paying attention to them.

"District eight female" says Albus barely hiding his disappointment, "she looks alright though but kinda skinny."

"They're all skinny" Idum adds with a sigh "We should feed them more and then we'd all have a better game on our hands"

"Who you get then?" I ask, hoping no-one heard his radical comment; surely he knows we can't send more food to the Districts or else who knows what could happen.

"District Ten female. Rough thing, looks little snappy though." He says with a little more confidence,

I nod "impressive" I say as I look up to the stage where Roxanna is dipping her hand into the glass bowl.

"District Five's Parfum Naj. Age Fourteen. Gender Female." She speaks clearly and calmly, hiding her obvious disappointment.

"Looks like we're partners" Invictus smiles as she comes off the stage "Maybe we should ally."

I fight the urge to slap the smug look from his face as Rox declines his offer "I prefer to work alone" she tells him with a sweet little smile. I smile towards her catching her eye for a moment, she looks good tonight, better than when she's wearing some tatty clothes to game in. I can't help but admire her curves in the long golden gown she's dressed in.

"So District Three Max" she laughs "that's a bit of bad luck right there." I scowl again. If only she'd have kept her mouth shut I could have fancied her for a bit longer.

* * *

11th Place - Caliguia Atia's POV:

More weak tributes are chosen by those inside of the top ten, and by the time I'm on stage it looks like the odds are in my favour to get a strong district. As I reach the front of the line I watch as the District Eight male is chosen and smile, that's one less weak tribute gone. Sometimes when I watch the games I despair that we're no longer in the golden age of the mid hundreds games, where nearly half the districts were training their kids for the games. Now we just have to hope that the tribute you get landed with had a pretty physical job back home, something with coal or stone, not sewing buttons onto jackets.

Before I know it it's my turn to step onto the stage, checking the collar of my shirt is perfectly neat I stride onto stage and am greeted by a wary cheer. They don't really know me this crowd and though I can't pick out Father's face I know he's urging me to be the best. I can feel the pressure weighing heavy on my shoulders as I reach carefully into the bowl.

Strength, strength, strength.

"District Fours Kale Harper. Age Seventeen. Gender Male." I announce as a weight lifts from my shoulders, it couldn't have gone better I think as I watch a tanned male a couple of years my senior step up to stage and nod towards the crowd. He's calm and collected not a hint of the emotional failure that so many of the other tributes have shown. I think his mind will take to the software perfectly and District Four is a popular District round here so my team will have no trouble getting me sponsorships.

Stepping off the stage I'm lost in my own thoughts of how proud father will be of me when I'm approached by Maximus.

"Good tribute" he says, playing friendly in front of the others "Little jealous if I'm being honest."

"Well he's all mine, enjoy your District Three girl" I respond and to my utter shock he just turns away and ignores me, choosing instead to start talking to another of the top ten gamers. Ugh he probably thinks he's too good for me. Me!

* * *

12th Place - Constantinos Brakus' POV:

I roll on the balls of my feet nervously watching as gamers step up to the stage and pick their tributes. It's my last games so I can't waste this moment I have to make any second I'm in the spotlight count over the next few weeks.

That bratty kid who pushed me down to twelfth looks mightily pleased with himself as he pulls out the District Four male who seems to have a bit of muscle on him. I hope he's aware however that it's all down to him in that arena if he doesn't use that muscle properly it will be the end of him.

As I'm announced by our host, the always lovely Mycelia Jones I step up onto stage and kiss her hand.

"Always such a gentleman" Mycelia smiles "It's your last year on this stage isn't it Const?"

"It sure is" I sigh and the audience as predictable as ever 'Aww' along. "But fear not" I add "I'm not disappearing from your lives forever, I have big plans. Big big plans."

Mycelia laughs and gestures to the glass bowl that stands between us, "Well let's see who'll you be playing in your final year" she says.

I cross my fingers on both hands and hold them up to the crowd for a moment before reaching into the bowl. I dig down to the bottom of the bowl and swirl my hand around a moment, mixing up the slips inside after a moment I grip onto a single slip and pull it from the bowl.

Holding the slip up to my eyes I sneak another little smile at Mycelia before opening it to read the name.

"District Twelve's Ole Seam, Age fifteen, Gender Male." I smile at this tribute, he will have been working in the mines for a year at least and as I'm shown my first glimpse of an olive skinned boy five years my junior I'm pleased that he does seem to have some strength behind his skinny frame.

* * *

15th Place - Roman Ferling's POV:

Const leaves the stage all smiles and waves and I watch as Queenie Hatter and her brother Kingston climb onto the stage together. The two of them always seem to get consecutive places and they joke and smile with the crowd before pulling out the two tributes from District Seven. They act all shocked and happy but I'm not too sure that it's not set up that way. But how would they do that, it's not like the glass bowl can be tampered with between gamers. Maybe it could be the slips themselves, I've heard of paper that can be used and edited like screens.

I'm taken away from my ponderings by the voice of Mycelia our host calling my name. There is a smattering of applause as a few people must remember me from last year. I also hear the rather loud cheers of my Mom which is pretty cool of her.

"Welcome back to the games Roman" she says "How does it feel to be back up on this stage?"

"Exciting, I'm hoping for a good tribute to help me get much further this year." I reply before dipping my hand in the glass bowl. The paper feels normal but my suspicions are still there that this may not be as fair as it appears.

I pull out a slip, let's just hope somewhere someone likes me.

"District One's Chastity Hope, Age seventeen, Gender Female."

We watch as a short girl with a rather plain face walks carefully up to stage, she's not as pretty as previous District One tributes who always seem to have the good genes but with a bit of work our stylists could make her much more sponsor-able.

"Exciting" I say as I wave to the crowd and join the other gamers in the wings. I've never been one for socialising at events so I turn my back to the small crowd who are still in awe at Queenie and Kingston's apparent luck and watch on the screen as the next player takes the stage.

* * *

20th Place - Bianihz Sinclair's POV:

I can't help but nibble the ends of my manicured nails as I wait to be called onto stage, I should be paying more attention to my competition but all I can think about is my large bump that is obvious to all those who look no matter how flowing my current emerald green dress is. Pan and Booster had been helping me all day so that I'm appropriate for this evening, which included a pretty expensive haircut and this dress both of which Pan paid for.

He's been so much more supportive than I had expected him to have been, I guess he didn't have the conservative values that his and my parents did. I begin to get emotional at the thought of him sat there looking forward to seeing me on the stage, all my love for him flowing out towards the crowd, before I know it I've started to cry.

"Are you okay" A young girl stood a few places behind me asks,

"Just getting a little worked up" I reply with a weak smile as the kid at the front of the line enters the stage and we all shuffle forwards a little. Two more people to go then it's me.

"When are you due?" she asks causing my heart to sink a little, everyone will be able to tell, I'll be a freak show.

"A couple of months" I reply "I shouldn't really be here."

"You worked for your place didn't you?" she asks

I nod as the next person enters the stage area, the three gamers between me and the girl begin to look frustrated as they try to watch the screens.

"Then you should be here" she says "You've gamed before haven't you?"

"Quite a few years ago yes, but I stopped after the accident."

"Yea that was tragic" she says "I'm glad you're healthy again and it's an honour to be gaming with you."

"Thanks" I reply bashfully.

Soon I'm at the front of the line and minutes later I'm being called onto stage and after being told how 'radiant' – read pregnant I look this evening. It's my turn to choose a tribute.

"District Two's Victoria Weats. Age Eighteen. Gender Female."

Victoria seems relatively calm as she steps up to stage, she's obviously worked with stone for a while as he hands appear rough and she has some muscles. She opens her mouth to speak to the crowd but the camera cuts out before we see what, I decide I'll ask her later, it might come in useful.

Stepping down I nod some polite hello's to other gamers and ignoring the grin Invictus is giving me watch the screen, I'd lost track of which tributes had been picked but the three boys who were stood between me and the girl get the District Twelve girl then the District Nine girl and the District Eleven boy.

Next it's the girls turn, I find out that she's called Cleo and as I suspected this is her first actual game. She keeps a neutral face as she reaches for the final slip.

"District Sixes Ellia Jonson. Age Fifteen. Gender Female" she calls out before leaving the stage. I want to wander over and congratulate her but I'm stopped in my tracks by Invictus.

"Oh Bianihz" he smiles "You look absolutely... radiant."

"Yeah I'm pregnant, what of it?" I snap, I'm not in the mood to play games with him, there will be plenty of time for that later.

"It suits you especially now..." he's interrupted by Booster who eyes wild shoves him out of the way to hug me.

"Excuse me" Invictus huffs but he's joined by his family before he can say anything else. I smile and joke with Booster as she leads me over to talk to Pan and my parents, but something digs at me, what was Invictus about to say and why didn't Booster want me to hear it?

As my parents gush over me and promise they don't judge me for keeping the baby, Mom is probably already planning for my wedding, I glimpse Invictus wink at me again.

That's when it happens, another flash back, the first one I've had not physically gaming. I'm sat in the back of a light blue car, Invictus' car and he's kissing me. Not lightly either, with more force and passion than Pan ever has. "You ready" he had whispered and I remembered nodding as he begins to remove my dress.

"Bian, what do you think about that?" Pan asks snapping me back to the present.

"Sorry I zoned out, what was the question?"

"We should all go out to eat tonight"

"That sounds lovely" I say with a nod. I never knew I had dated Invictus, why had it never come up when my parents and Booster had tried to return my memories to me after the accident. Why in all these years had none of them mentioned him?


End file.
